ADOPTION AGREEMENT
This Adoption Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into between the undersigned individual(s) (“Adopter”) and Greatest Need Rescue, a Texas nonprofit corporation (“Rescue”). This Agreement is effective as of the date last signed by Adopter and Rescue. By signing this Agreement, Adopter acknowledges that they have read, understood, and voluntarily agree to all terms and conditions contained herein.
1. TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY
Ownership of the dog identified (“Dog”) transfers to Adopter at the time of physical pickup, delivery or release of the Dog into Adopter’s care and custody (“Transfer”). From that moment forward, Adopter assumes full and sole responsibility for all care, custody, control, supervision, training, expenses, damages, injuries, and legal liability associated with the Dog for the duration of the Dog’s life (or duration of Adopter’s care, custody, or control).
2. DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
Rescue is a volunteer-run organization whose goal is a safe and happy placement for each and every dog and adopter. Rescue will use good-faith judgment and take practical steps to share accurate information about the Dog based on what is known to Rescue at intake and during Rescue’s care; however, such information may be based in whole or in part on records or statements from shelters, veterinarians, fosters, transporters, or other third parties, and may be inaccurate, limited, or incomplete.
Except as expressly stated in this Agreement, Rescue makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the Dog’s health, medical condition, behavior, temperament, training, age, breed, size, or fitness for any purpose. Adopter adopts the Dog “AS IS” at the Transfer and assumes the inherent risks of adopting a rescue dog, including that medical or behavioral issues may be unknown, undiscoverable, latent, or may emerge after placement.
3. BREED, AGE, SIZE, HEALTH DETERMINATIONS
Adopter expressly acknowledges that Rescue does not determine or guarantee any Dog’s age, breed, size, weight, health status, medical condition, or prognosis. To the extent any such information is provided, it reflects estimates or observations based on information reasonably available to Rescue at the time (which may be limited, incomplete, or based in whole or in part on third-party records or statements).
Adopter understands and agrees that determinations regarding age, breed, size, health, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis are made by licensed veterinarians exercising professional judgment. Adopter further understands and agrees that veterinarians may reasonably disagree and that estimates, assessments, or diagnoses may change over time. Even when a DNA test is done to determine breed, results may vary by veterinarian or testing facility.
Adopter understands that rescue dogs often have unknown histories and incomplete records. Adopter accepts these realities as an inherent part of adopting a rescue dog. Behavior and personality descriptions are based on intake evaluations and observations during Rescue’s care and may change as the Dog adjusts to a new environment.
Rescue makes no representation that any veterinary assessment or third-party information will remain accurate over time. Differences in estimates, revised assessments, subsequent diagnoses, or differences of professional opinion do not constitute misrepresentation by Rescue. Any return/refund (if any) is governed solely by Section 8 below.
4. POST-ADOPTION DECOMPRESSION PERIOD
Adopter acknowledges that all rescue dogs require a decompression period of a minimum of three (3) weeks following arrival in Adopter’s home. During this period, the Dog may be stressed, fearful, overwhelmed, shut down, reactive, or may not display true personality or behavior. The Dog’s behavior during this period should not be used to judge suitability for adoption.
During the first three (3) weeks, Rescue does not advise:
- rushed introductions with existing animals except on neutral ground
- walks involving large numbers of people or animals
- dog parks, play dates, doggy camps, or daycare
- extensive introductions to people not living in the home
- toys or activities that cause over-stimulation
Adopter agrees to read and follow all decompression information provided by Rescue. Adopter understands that the Dog may have traveled a significant distance immediately prior to entering Adopter’s home, and that travel and transition stress may affect the Dog’s behavior, appetite, sleep, and adjustment for a period of time after arrival.
Failure to follow decompression guidance may materially increase risk and may be considered by Rescue in evaluating any requested return/refund under Section 8.
For clarity, “transport” in this Agreement refers to the Dog’s travel from the time the Dog departs Rescue’s care until the Dog is delivered or released into Adopter’s care and custody.
5. HEALTH DISCLOSURES
To the extent medically appropriate, dogs are provided core vaccinations, a health check, and parasite prevention prior to departure for delivery, and are spayed or neutered unless medically deferred. Rescue will share in good faith any material health concerns known to Rescue promptly after becoming aware of them, based on the information available to Rescue at the time.
Adopter understands that absence of symptoms or a negative test result at one point in time does not guarantee a condition will not arise later. Any return/refund (if any) is governed solely by Section 8 below.
Adopter is solely responsible for complying with local licensing/vaccination requirements after Transfer.
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Deworming. Dogs are dewormed prior to transport; however, stress associated with transport may counteract treatment. Follow-up deworming approximately two (2) weeks after arrival is recommended in consultation with a licensed veterinarian.
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Upper Respiratory Expectations. After arrival, coughing or sneezing may occur due to stress, travel, or climate change. Where medically appropriate, dogs are vaccinated against kennel cough/respiratory illness prior to transport; however, vaccination does not guarantee that symptoms will not occur. Symptoms are typically mild and resolve within approximately a week and are not evidence of misrepresentation by Rescue.
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Heartworm Testing, Treatment, and Prevention. Rescue will provide Adopter the Dog’s most recent heartworm test result and the treatment/prevention plan recommended by Rescue’s veterinarian as of departure. Adopter will consult a licensed veterinarian promptly after arrival and is responsible for all ongoing care and costs after Transfer. If local veterinary guidance differs due to regional heartworm risk, Adopter will follow the written guidance of Adopter’s licensed veterinarian, but will not discontinue prevention during the first year unless a veterinarian recommends otherwise.
6. VETERINARY CARE AND MEDICAL RESPONSIBILITY
Adopter agrees to establish care with a licensed veterinarian promptly after Transfer and to provide the Dog with all routine, preventative, and emergency veterinary care for the duration of the Dog’s life.
A veterinary examination is strongly recommended within two (2) weeks of arrival/delivery to review available medical records, confirm vaccination status, assess overall health, and establish an ongoing prevention schedule.
Adopter acknowledges that rescue dogs may present with medical conditions that were not detectable at intake due to stress, incubation periods, or incomplete medical history.
Adopter assumes full financial responsibility for all veterinary expenses incurred after adoption, including but not limited to examinations, diagnostics, medications, surgeries, emergency care, specialist referrals, and long-term treatment. Rescue is not responsible for, and will not reimburse, any veterinary expenses incurred after the Transfer.
Differences of veterinary opinion, discovery of pre-existing conditions, or development of new medical conditions after Transfer do not constitute misrepresentation by Rescue. Any return/refund (if any) is governed solely by Section 8 below. Adopter’s failure to provide appropriate veterinary care constitutes a material breach of this Agreement.
Upon reasonable request, Adopter agrees to provide Rescue written confirmation of compliance with this Section (including proof of the post-arrival veterinary exam and current vaccination/prevention records), with appropriate redactions for unrelated personal information.
7. CARE REQUIREMENTS AND PROHIBITIONS
Adopter agrees the Dog shall be cared for in accordance with the following minimum standards:
- be treated humanely and as a companion animal and family member
- reside primarily indoors as part of the household and not be routinely isolated in a manner that is unsafe or inhumane
- be provided adequate food, fresh water, appropriate shelter, and regular exercise
- receive all routine, preventative, and emergency veterinary care as needed
- be maintained with proper licensing (if required), identification, and current Adopter contact information with Rescue listed as an alternate contact
- be trained only with humane methods and tools (no choke-type collars)
Adopter agrees that under no circumstance shall the Dog:
- be subjected to abuse, neglect, cruelty, or inhumane conditions
- be trained or used for fighting, aggression, or attack purposes
- be sold, gifted, rehomed, surrendered, abandoned, or otherwise transferred
- be routinely tethered/chained or confined in a manner that is unsafe or inhumane
Adopter must promptly notify Rescue if the Dog is lost, stolen, seriously injured, or deceased. Adopter authorizes Rescue to contact animal control, shelters, veterinarians, and microchip registries, and to share reasonable identifying information about the Dog and Adopter’s contact information as necessary, to assist in locating and recovering the Dog if Rescue reasonably believes the Dog is missing or has been transferred in violation of this Agreement.
Adopter will reasonably cooperate with Rescue’s welfare checks (virtual or in-person) at reasonable times on reasonable notice if Rescue has a good-faith concern regarding safety or compliance.
8. RETURN AND REFUND
Pre-Departure. Rescue maintains ownership prior to the Dog’s departure from Rescue’s care for transport to Adopter. Either party may cancel the adoption prior to that departure. The adoption fee will be refunded if the adoption is terminated prior to departure for transport.
Post-Departure/Before Delivery. After departure for transport, Rescue retains ownership until Transfer.
- If the adoption is terminated due to Adopter cancellation, unavailability, refusal to accept delivery, or Adopter’s breach, no refund of adoption fee is owed. Adopter is responsible for reasonable, documented safe-hold and return-to-Rescue costs actually incurred. For avoidance of doubt, “Adopter cancellation” includes any request made after departure for transport to delay, reroute, hold, or not complete delivery, and any instruction to a transporter not to deliver the Dog.
- If the adoption is terminated by Rescue for reasons unrelated to Adopter, Rescue will refund the adoption fee.
After Delivery. After Transfer, if Adopter cannot keep the Dog for any reason, Adopter must promptly notify Rescue and return the Dog to Rescue (or to a designee approved in writing by Rescue). Adopter may not rehome, sell, gift, surrender, or abandon the Dog. No refund of the adoption fee is owed after Transfer unless expressly agreed by Rescue in writing and signed by both parties. Adopter is responsible for the Dog’s reasonable care and safekeeping and for all costs incurred while the Dog is being returned to Rescue, unless Rescue agrees otherwise in writing.
Failure to comply constitutes a material breach. Rescue may require the Dog’s immediate return and may pursue lawful remedies to recover the Dog and reasonable documented costs caused by the breach (including recovery/transport costs, boarding, and veterinary costs).
9. FEES
Adopter agrees to pay the adoption fee set forth on the rescue website. The adoption fee is a contribution toward Rescue’s costs, not a purchase price, and may vary by Dog.
Adopter acknowledges that the adoption fee is intended to cover, and is a contribution toward, Rescue’s costs, including care, boarding, veterinary care, and transport-related arrangements, and is therefore generally non-refundable, except as expressly provided in Section 8.
If a discretionary refund is approved under Section 8, Rescue may deduct any non-recoverable costs including transport-related costs, boarding, and veterinary costs, and may condition any refund on the Dog’s return and re-homing.
Failure to timely pay required fees due prior to Transfer is a material breach and may result in Rescue delaying Transfer and/or cancelling the adoption prior to the Dog’s departure for transport. Any refund (if any) is governed solely by Section 8 and is issued, if at all, in Rescue’s discretion.
10. BREACH; DAMAGES; RELEASE
A breach may result in Rescue requiring the Dog’s immediate return and seeking court-ordered relief to recover the Dog (including replevin or equivalent remedies where available).
Adopter agrees to reimburse Rescue for all reasonable, documented costs Rescue actually incurs because of Adopter’s breach (including recovery/transport costs, boarding, and veterinary costs). Rescue may invoice Adopter and Adopter will pay within ten (10) days after receipt. Adopter also agrees to reimburse Rescue for reasonable attorneys’ fees, court costs, and enforcement/collection expenses Rescue actually incurs to enforce this Agreement or recover the Dog, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
If Adopter sells, gifts, rehomes, surrenders, abandons, or otherwise transfers the Dog in violation of this Agreement, or refuses to return the Dog when required, Adopter agrees to pay liquidated damages of $500 as a reasonable estimate of Rescue’s administrative and recovery efforts. The parties agree these administrative burdens are difficult to precisely measure at the time of contracting. This amount is intended as liquidated damages, not a penalty. Rescue’s recovery costs may exceed $500; the $500 is intended to cover administrative/non-itemizable burdens, not out-of-pocket recovery expenses.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Adopter releases, indemnifies, and holds harmless Rescue and its directors, officers, volunteers, fosters, agents, and affiliated veterinarians from claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees/costs where recoverable) arising from (a) the Dog after Transfer, and (b) Adopter’s care, custody, handling, or control of the Dog after Transfer, including third-party claims for injury, death, or property damage. This does not apply to the extent caused by Rescue’s gross negligence or willful misconduct where such a carve-out is required by law. Nothing in this Agreement waives rights that cannot be waived under applicable law.
11. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS AND CONFIDENTIALITY
Adopter agrees that any concerns or disputes relating to the Dog, the adoption process, or Rescue should first be communicated privately to Rescue in good faith to allow an opportunity to address the concern, except where immediate public-health/safety reporting is required or advisable.
Adopter shall not publish, post, or distribute any statement of fact about Rescue (or its volunteers, foster homes, veterinary partners, or affiliates) that Adopter knows is false, or makes with reckless disregard for whether it is true or false. This includes, without limitation, on social media platforms, online forums, review sites, blogs, group chats, comment sections, or similar media. Nothing in this Agreement prohibits Adopter from communicating with animal control, public health authorities, law enforcement, or legal counsel or from posting a truthful review of Adopter’s experience.
Adopter shall not share Rescue’s confidential information without written consent including non-public (i) personal contact information or identifying information of Rescue’s volunteers/fosters/partners (including names tied to private addresses, phone numbers, emails, license plates, or home/work locations); (ii) non-public security, routing, or operational details regarding Rescue’s transport/placement processes; and (iii) non-public communications that contain another person’s personal information. For clarity, Adopter may share the Dog’s veterinary information relating to Adopter’s own Dog, but must redact personal contact information of individuals and any non-public operational/security details described above.
A violation of this Section 11 constitutes a material breach. Rescue may seek appropriate remedies available under applicable law, including injunctive relief for unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and damages for defamation, as applicable.
12. ENTIRE AGREEMENT
This Agreement (including Schedules) and the incorporated adoption application are the entire agreement between the parties regarding the adoption. Any amendment must be in a writing signed by Rescue and Adopter. For clarity, informal communications (including calls, texts, emails, and/or social media) do not amend this Agreement unless they expressly state they are an amendment and are signed by both parties. Adopter represents that Adopter has provided truthful and complete information to Rescue in Adopter’s adoption application (and any updates).
13. NOTICES; COMMUNICATIONS
Rescue may provide notices to Adopter by email, text, or other contact information provided by Adopter, and Adopter may provide notices to Rescue using the contact information available on Rescue's social media and websites.
Adopter consents to Rescue collecting, using, and disclosing Adopter’s contact information and the Dog’s information as reasonably needed to complete transport/delivery, provide post-adoption support, register/maintain microchip information, and assist with recovery if the Dog is lost or transferred in violation of this Agreement. This may include sharing information with transporters, veterinarians, shelters, animal control, and microchip registries, including across the United States.
14. MISCELLANEOUS
Material misrepresentation or omission is a material breach. Each person signing as “Adopter” is jointly and severally liable for the Adopter’s obligations. Adopter represents that Adopter is at least 18 years old (or the age of majority where Adopter resides). Electronic signatures and counterparts are valid. If any provision of this Agreement is held unenforceable, the remainder remains in effect and the provision shall be enforced to the maximum extent permitted by law.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this Agreement is governed by Texas law. Adopter agrees that Rescue may seek emergency or injunctive relief (including to recover the Dog) in any court of competent jurisdiction where the Dog is located.
Adopter confirms full understanding and agreement to all terms of this Adoption Agreement.
